


an irrevocable condition

by problematic_pleasures



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, cute shit, futurish au, semi canon compliant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-20
Updated: 2017-03-20
Packaged: 2018-10-08 06:37:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 462
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10380678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/problematic_pleasures/pseuds/problematic_pleasures
Summary: “For the two of us, home isn't a place. It is a person. And we are finally home.”Carl is tired, in a good way.





	

**Author's Note:**

> long time no see eyy??? i dunno what happened, but i got roped back in. so, have some fluff!

He feels stressed, crazed, aching to the bone—so much so that he could almost feel _normal_. The sunshine streaming in through the kitchen window and the soft light thrown around the white cabinets feels homely. The chatter bleeding in from outside is practically suburban, like a few people talking shop and shop means something aside from hunting the dead. The weight of his younger sister in his arms sparks a burn in his chest, a flickering flame of paternal instinct. Puttering around the house, cleaning up and cooking food and making sure Judith never wands…it’s nearly enough to make him forget about the hellhole the world has become.

“You look like you’re two seconds away from droppin’ dead, kid.”

Negan’s easy words, smooth like good liquor, startle Carl from his reverie. He hugs Judith tighter on instinct before he relaxes. Laughter carries Negan over the threshold of the hallway to the kitchen, and he holds out his hands expectantly.

Carl raises an eyebrow, his only good eye shining with good-natured disbelief.

“C’mon, I ain’t gonna bite.” Negan wiggle his fingers, ‘gimme gimme’ in a gesture. “You look like you could use a break.”

Carl relents quickly; it’s like Negan’s words pull the exhaustion to the service, and Carl can barely help himself from slumping over against the counter. He hands Judith over carefully, then takes a moment to admire the sight. Negan had clearly shrugged off his leather jacket at the door, but his red scarf is still loose around his neck and draws Judith’s attention easily. Negan breathes a laugh as she toys with the fabric.

Carl swallows the warmth billowing in his chest, and stamps out the thought of how things could’ve been different. In a different time, different place—ignoring the fact that Carl and Negan probably never would’ve met—maybe they could’ve made a good family. Strong, tight-knit. Negan, for all his rules and gruffness, would be the ‘fun’ parent, Carl the stricter one. Carl shakes his head and forces the idea from his head.

When Negan gives him a curious look, Carl waves it off. He steps forward and presses chapped lips to Negan’s salt-and-pepper stubbled cheek.

“I’ll be down for dinner in a bit?”

“Take your time.” Negan stops Carl with a careful hand on his hip. He kisses Carl sweet and sure on the mouth and drinks in Carl’s answering sigh. “We’ll be here. Got some catching up to do, don’t we Judy?”

Judith doesn’t pause in playing with the red scarf—now off Negan’s neck, in Judith’s fingers instead—but she nods rapidly.

Carl allows a small smile, one that carries him all the way up stares; one that keeps carrying him until he falls into bed and drifts off to sleep.


End file.
